After the best Once Upon a Time episode last Sunday, the show followed up with the heartfelt, but at times irritating "The Queen is Dead." The flashback to the death of Snow's mother was enlightening about Snow's kindness, but even more telling about how the tragic tale of Regina's demise to evil started. The lifespan and timeline of the characters also became clearer.

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Snow Was Destined For Greatness

It seemed a bit off to see Snow as a bratty, entitled kid, since that's not the Snow that we've ever seen. It was difficult to believe that her mother had never talked about her responsibility before that day when they happened on Johanna trying on the crown, but it was necessary to the overall story.

Snow's mother instilled in her a goodness that stuck with her and was cemented by the life and death choice that Snow was forced to make. If she couldn't cross over to the dark side to save her mother, how could she even consider doing it for anything else?

Timeline Revealed

Up until this episode, the timeline in Fairy Tale Land was unclear. Rumple revealed that he has kept the dagger safe for centuries, while Neal mentioned that without a stop in another land he would be 100s of years old.

That means that when Cora first met Rumple, he was already the Dark One. It also seems likely that Hook, Bae, and Bae's mother all spent time in Neverland, which allowed them to stay young. That would explain why Neal is familiar with Hook and also knows how to sail a pirate's ship

Cora is the Miller's Daughter

While Rumple as the Dark One could been seen as the starting point of the tragic story of Snow, it seems that a better place to look is with Cora. After killing the Queen, Cora revealed that she's the Miller's Daughter.

Cora, then, would be the one that first made a deal with Rumple that set into motion the tragic futures of her own daughter, Regina, as well as, Snow. Regina had no hope of staying the hopeful, good girl that we saw in love with Daniel.

Cora killed Eva, set up the meeting between Regina and Snow, and then killed Daniel. Cora was responsible for ruining not only Regina's life, but Snow's as well. Now that Regina knows the truth, will she turn against her mother? Will she see that Snow is not the enemy, but Cora's victim just like her?

"The Boy Will Be Your Undoing"

Last week, the seer foretold that "The boy will be your undoing" to be Rumple's future. After Rumple was attacked by Hook and poisoned, he pushed Henry away and blamed him for his condition. Will they get back to Storybrooke in time to save Rumple? Or, was he reunited with his son just in time to die?

I find it highly doubtful that Rumple will die, but if he uses magic to heal and save his life there will be a cost. Could his life be traded for Cora's? That would be fitting payback for Cora's evil deeds, while preventing Snow from turning to the dark side. Or, will the cost be someone more dear to him?

I'm still convinced that Henry will be Rumple's savior by helping rid him of his evil, Dark One nature. Perhaps, Cora will take the dagger's powers for herself and free Rumple from the darkness and allow him to reconnect with his son and gain a loving family.

Snow is an Idiot

I'm not sure I've ever been as disappointed in Once Upon a Time as I was with the scene in the clock tower. Snow was an idiot to believe she could give Cora the dagger and Johanna would be saved. Cora doesn't have a benevolent bone in her body. She and Regina both want to hurt Snow any chance they get.

I find it difficult to believe that she would trade the deaths of many by the dagger to save one life, even Johanna's. The only explanation is that she knew it was a fake dagger. At first, I discounted this idea because of her rage at the end, but after consideration, she could have been spurred into revenge mode just because of Johanna's death.

If it turns out the dagger is a fake AND Snow knew that, I take back my "idiot" statement, but if that doesn't turn out to be the case, I don't get why she gave Cora the dagger. The battle is on!

While Cora's end will come, I don't think that Snow will be the one to do it. If Snow turns dark, than Cora wins even if dead.

Complicated, Indeed

Even though Emma wasn't sure she wanted Neal in her life, she asked him to come to Storybrooke with her. It wasn't so much for Rumple, but for Henry. Neal responded that it was complicated. And, it definitely is.

Neal has a fiance. What? Poor Emma. She finds her true love, the father of her son, again and he has someone else. That's painful. Who is this woman? Is she just a normal gal? Or, is she connected to Fairy Tale Land?

For now, there's a pirate ship ride in their future. The question is: Who will be on the ship?

Do you think the dagger from the Clock Tower was a fake? Did Snow know that? What will be the price Rumple will have to pay in order to live? And, will Cora survive much longer? If not, who will kill her?